August 13, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 87 - Clone Force Kilayim

Let’s talk genetics. Yes, let’s talk genetics. Is there an echo in here? Yes, there is now.

In this episode, we take a closer look at Kilayim, the Torah’s prohibition against mixing species. We inspect it and how it shows up in a tale from a long, long time ago, of a squad of soldiers unlike any other. What does Jewish tradition say about rewriting the building blocks of life? What happens when fictional characters are made in a way they didn’t choose? What about real people? And how do asian pears fit into all of this?

00:01:32 Kilayim

00:05:03 Star Wars The Bad Batch

00:07:05 Human Cloning and Gene Editing

00:10:27 Perspective - Gift or a Defect

00:14:54 Genetic Engineering

00:21:25 The grey line

00:33:20 Science Fiction and Genetics

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July 30, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 86 - Pirkei Avigilante

Time to suit up as we take a daring dive into Pirkei Avot 1:10. From the streets to the courtroom, we unpack some of the tensions between working within the system or outside of it. We also discuss a certain red vigilante’s path and how it sometimes struggles when faced by its towering opposing force. If this topic gets too heated, it may be time you left the streets of the kitchen.

00:01:46 Pirkei Avot 1:10

00:05:42 Daredevil: Born Again

00:14:02 A little too real

00:21:17 Out of Character Arc

00:25:15 Season Two Predictions

00:30:36 The System or the Leader

00:34:30 Barak’s biggest issue with the ending

00:38:47 Pirkei Avot 1:11

00:44:27 The Safe Streets Initiative

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July 16, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 85 - Worse Than Leprosy

This week, we look at what may possibly be the least favorite torah portion: parsha metzorah. It’s tedious, it’s a bit gross, and spoiler alert - it’s not even about leprosy! We clean up our act and take a look at why the portion has such a bad rap. What other Jewish texts are disliked? Can we discover why this bad writing has survived so long into today’s world? We all know stories that we don’t like, but we’d honestly just rather forget they exist. At least, meesuh thinks so.

00:00:42 The Torah portion with the worst reputation

00:02:24 Inspired by a stretch of “meh” movies

00:09:28 It’s not even leprosy

00:11:55 Other least favorite Jewish texts

00:14:40 Let’s just get rid of the bad stories

00:17:03 Dealing with bad stories

00:21:41 Our favorite worst movies

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July 2, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 84 - Pixar’s Paradigm Shift

In this episode, we explore the theory that suggests that all Pixar films exist within a single shared universe. Or perhaps they don’t and they’re just individually made entertaining movies. Or maybe the director once knew someone named Andy and liked the way he treated his toys. We’ll discuss how literal or interpretive we believe the Pixar universe to be and we dig into some other pop culture conspiracy theories. We’ll learn that Pixar may not just be about talking toys, but about a mystical cycle of life, technology, and evolution… Oh wait, my power is low... let me just quickly grab some new Buy N Large batteries…

00:00:38 The Pixar Theory

00:02:52 P.A.R.D.E.S.

00:06:34 Our interpretation of Jewish texts

00:10:02 Explaining the Pixar Theory

00:16:44 Pixar gets the Pardes treatment

00:24:51 Other pop-culture conspiracy theories

00:31:03 An original romantic conspiracy theory

00:32:50 Favorite Pixar Movies

00:35:46 Pixar Purist

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June 18, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 83 - Monsters and Angels

Remember the story in the Tanakh about flaming serpents? What about the one about unicorns?

This week, the mystical co-hosts of Wayward Children: Jewish Monsters, Magic, and the Stories We Tell help us summon the wild, weird, and fantastical creatures hiding in the pages of Torah. We explore the line between monsters and angels. Honestly, we didn’t know we could fit this many Jewish creatures into one episode. We also learn if Falcor has Jewish origins.

00:04:58 Numbers 21:6-8 Flaming, Flying Snakes

00:09:52 D&D converted me a Judaism

00:10:56 Finding mystical and mythological creatures in Jewish lore

00:14:27 The seraph - flaming snakes or flying angels?

00:19:12 Unicorns

00:23:24 Monster angels, cherub angels, and messenger angels

00:33:21 Too many monsters, too little time

00:39:07 Favorite monster or creature from the Torah

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Listen to John and Jack on their podcast - Wayward Children:Jewish Monsters, Magic, and the Stories We Tell

https://waywardchildren.buzzsprout.com/

Collectible Jewish Monsters and Magic Cards - https://madnessheart.press/product/collectable-jewish-monsters-and-magic-cards/?v=0b3b97fa6688

Treif Magic - https://madnessheart.press/product/treif-magic/?v=0b3b97fa6688

Dybbuk in the Doorway - https://www.amazon.com/Dybbuk-Doorway-John-Baltisberger/dp/B0F7XVKBRQ

June 4, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 82 - This Andor That

In this episode, Ethan guides us on a conversation to a galaxy far, far away to explore the rich themes and surprising Jewish connections within Andor, the newest series in the Star Wars universe. We dive into the blurred lines between science fiction and our own realities, we explore the sacrifices made in the name of hope, and we ask the question no one else dares: Is Syril’s mom Jewish? Put on your nicest Ghorman threads and tune in as we unpack this story of resistance, sacrifice, and hope.

00:00:41 I have friends everywhere

00:02:42 Erev Andor

00:04:11 Pulling on all the threads (of Ghorman?)

00:05:48 Almost to the Promised Land

00:11:43 Sacrifice for loss or gain

00:16:02 The robot that made us happy

00:16:38 Next year…

00:19:16 The fictional reality of science fiction

00:27:01 What kind of mother?

00:32:20 Cinta and Vel

00:33:48 Fate and Force

00:39:35 The greatest thing Star Wars has ever done?

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May 21, 2025
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 81 - 3rd Anniversary Special - Dungeons & Dreidels

A year has passed since the goblins were driven from the village and the light of Hanukkah was saved by the hero called Hershel… or so everyone thought. Now, on the final night of the town’s Hanukkah celebration, the wind howls and dark clouds gather above. Join the village’s unlikely heroes—a blacksmith, a tailor, a butcher, and a teacher—as they defend their home, unravel a mysterious return, and stand together to protect the light. Because Hanukkah isn't just about miracles… it's also about rolling initiative.

00:00:43 Character Introductions
00:01:43 In a tiny village, a few miles outside of Ostropol…
00:02:37 Exploring the Festival
00:06:15 Yankle’s Dreidel Game
00:15:44 Eight Festival Knights
00:31:46 Uninvited Guests
00:55:09 The Return of the Goblin King
01:04:00 Hershel’s House on the Hill
01:20:58 Something Old, Yet Familiar
01:34:10 The True Power of the Dark
01:42:21 The Final Battle of Light and Dark
02:11:45 Hebrew Runes Appear
02:24:44 The End of the Eighth Night

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Character Information:
Terry Black (played by Ethan Lane-Miller) Gnome Paladin. He is the town blacksmith.
Dima Silkthread (played by RDY) Halfling Rogue. He is the town tailor.
Lazar Wolf (played by Joel Swedlove) Orc Barbarian. He is the town butcher.
Morah Fenwin Gigglesong (played by Sparkle Peters) Elf Bard. She is the village teacher.
Dungeon Master (Barak Malkin) Keeper of the chaos, spinner of dreidels and destinies. Perhaps for this game we say… Dreidel Master.

May 7, 2025
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 80 - Putting the Pieces Together

Samson apparently loved Delilah and word puzzles. In today’s world, before he attacked the philistines, he probably would have finished that morning’s Wordle. With so many types of puzzles in the world today, we try to piece together an episode with the clues given on the box. Would you consider that to be cheating though? If you’re confused, perhaps you should listen to figure this one out with us.

00:01:08 Judges Chapter 14
00:03:22 Puzzles
00:05:29 Puzzling habits
00:07:12 Escape Rooms with leadership
00:12:38 What’s Jewish about puzzling?
00:16:25 Get a clue
00:25:47 Infusing it all together
00:27:52 The 100 Prisoner Puzzle
00:34:40 Having a healthy argument
00:39:37 Modular puzzles

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